- Why the Toys “R” Us bankruptcy is an example of what can go wrong when private equity firms get involved (The New Yorker)
- Quantifying the world of experiential marketing (AdWeek)
- Kids talk their favorite toys and what parents just don’t get about them (Insider)
- Roku is refreshing hardware and software following its IPO (The Verge)
- World Book Day has become a contentious occasion for some children’s authors (The Guardian)
- Critics say the Canadian government’s US$400-million Netflix deal raises more questions than it answers (The Globe and Mail)
- Asked and answered? Mattel’s Aristotle voice assistant must prove it doesn’t store and share data (Bloomberg)
- After seven years in the making, LEGO has unveiled a giant Danish playhouse made entirely of its signature bricks (The Verge)
- Sphero is going small with new robotic balls (TechCrunch)
- A new creative cornerstone: Netflix will commit at least US$400 million over five years to make original Canadian productions (The Globe and Mail)
- A nine-year-old boy hopes he can keep Toys “R” Us alive with a persuasive letter to the bankruptcy judge (Business Insider)
- Comcast’s upgraded Xfinity streaming TV service will offer a US$10 kids and family package (The Verge)
- Roku’s IPO puts the company’s value at US$1.3 billion (CNN)
- North American TV users are demanding fatter skinny bundles (Rapid TV News)
- Think kids today need instant gratification? Revisiting the age-old marshmallow test proves otherwise (The Washington Post)
- Playbuzz’s interactive content platform has picked up a cool US$35 million from Disney, Saban Ventures and more (Variety)
- The largest tech companies in the US are pledging US$300 million for a STEM push in schools (Recode)
- From parenting to pets, the 30 social media influencers making a splash (Forbes)
- Hollywood’s biggest stars want a piece of Apple’s original programming push (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Study says kids who see on-screen gun violence are more likely to pick up guns IRL (Live Science)
- Vimeo’s biggest acquisition ever marks its move into live streaming (The Hollywood Reporter)
- How Nintendo’s Switch is trying to disrupt the gaming industry (Mashable)
- Screen time could be hurting children’s ability to read emotions (ABC Australia)
- Instagram hits 800 million users, launches new tools to block potentially offensive comments (TechCrunch)
- US ad execs say they have their eyes on social messaging and video as main marketing strategies (eMarketer)
- Mattel’s new CEO is named one of the most powerful women in business, but can her tech ideas save the toy industry? (Fortune)
- Microsoft launches new educational software with a little help from Minecraft (The Verge)
- Are kids over the LEGO movies? Ninjago flops at the box office (Forbes)
- Facebook announces its first wave of original content that includes a series from family vloggers (Tube Filter)
- Amazon is taking a step back and letting Alibaba continue to rule China (Recode)
- Is the coding trend really just a lesson in economics? (The Guardian)
- Disney and Intel both have eyes on Stockholm’s social robot maker (Forbes)
- Why Mattel and Hasbro won’t allow Toys “R” Us to flounder (Bloomberg)
- YouTube is revamping its subscription analytics to better serve creators (Tube Filter)
- Talk about a comeback: Inside Teddy Ruxpin’s life, death and plans for a revival (CNET)
- Nielsen has come up with a new way for advertisers to know what people are watching (Variety)
- Finally some good news for retailers – holiday sales projections are looking positive (eMarketer)
- And overall physical retail is still going strong (Harvard Business Review)
- A new study finds that gender roles forced on kids can affect their physical and mental health (CNN)
- Competition may have played a role, but its heavy debt load is what took down Toys “R” Us (Morning Star)
- Continuity is key: Locksmith Animation will be making a new animated movie every 18 months for 20th Century Fox (Variety)
- Amazon is jumping into wearables and working on Alexa-powered glasses (Reuters)
- YouTube is taking on Twitch, launching moneymaking sponsorships for gaming creators (Tube Filter)
- The inherent challenges to selling toys in a digital world (eMarketer)
- Study says Gen Z is in no rush to grow up (Business Insider)
- Most marketers are still confused about how AI works (eMarketer)
- The power of YouTube: A digital star is joining CN’s Powerpuff Girls in Australia as a fourth character (Tube Filter)
- Minecraft is trying to teach kids the history of the Oregon Trail with a new update (Engadget)
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